10-year-old begged drunk stepfather not to drive moments before crash

The 10-year-old stepdaughter of a retired police inspector and her young friend pleaded with him not to drive home from a family party because he was too drunk moments before he crashed his car killing the two girls and his wife.

Andrew Dyer, (2nd from left), died in the crashPhoto: PA

By Richard Savill

7:00AM GMT 30 Oct 2009

Keith Bridges, 52, drank wine and cocktails at a friends French home before setting off to drive less than a mile home with seven people packed in his Cherokee Jeep.

He lost control on a bend and collided with a tree, killing his wife Julie-Ann, 43, and his stepdaughter Bethany Lowe, 10.

A family friend, Andrew Dyer, 41, and his daughter Gabriella, 10, were also killed. Mr Bridges survived with a broken leg along with Mr Dyer's wife and her two other children survived.

The inquest heard the adults had been drinking heavily at the home of Anthony Fuller, another former police officer who lived in France near to the Bridges in the Berbiguieres area of the Dordogne.

Mr Fuller told the hearing in Taunton, Somerset, they had consumed about four bottles of wine, 22 small bottles of beer and at least a bottle of spirits in a cocktail mix.

Before leaving Mr Fuller's house, shortly before 11pm, on June 7, 2006, Mr Bridges said he would drive as his wife had drunk too much.

Mr Fuller told the inquest Bethany and Gabriella pleaded with the adults not to drive.

He said tearfully: "They said all the adults had far too much to drink so we will drive.

"I said to them, you are not tall enough or old enough.

"They said one of us will steer and the other squat down and press the peddles."

Mr Fuller said he had suggested to the Bridges that it would be a good idea to walk home and he offered them torches. He also offered to make sandwiches but that was declined.

"We made it pretty clear that we didn't feel it was great for Keith to drive," he said.

Mr Fuller added: "There is no need for these children to have died. Out of four responsible adults, and difficult as this is to say, I think one of them acted very irresponsibly."

A breath test later found Mr Bridges, who had retired to the Dordogne with his wife, was three times the French drink-drive limit of 50mg alcohol per 100ml of blood, almost twice the British limit.

Mrs Dyer told the inquest she did not blame Mr Bridges' driving. She said: "I know we had drunk quite a lot but I didn't doubt at all that Keith could drive home.

"His driving was still fine, I didn't question his driving and I still don't question it now. It was like the car just took off and I couldn't do anything about it."

The inquest heard Mr Bridges claimed the Jeep's overdrive button, which is located on the gearstick and acts as a fourth gear, malfunctioned causing the car to suddenly accelerate.

However, the jury, sitting at The Shire Hall, in Taunton, decided that the failure of the overdrive system was unlikely and that the cause of the accident was alcohol consumption and excessive speed.

They returned a narrative verdict which said: "The accident would not have occurred if the driver of the vehicle had not attempted to negotiate a bend at an excessive speed and his judgment moderately impaired by alcohol.

"The possibility of excessive speed being caused by the failure of the overdrive system was unlikely to have occurred."

Coroner Michael Rose offered his sympathies to the families involved.

He said: "I have sat here for over 14 years and I have never had a road accident with so many deaths.

"If there are any lessons to be learnt from this, it is that the risk of driving with any alcohol is dangerous.

"You may think that you are going a small distance but I do urge people not to drink any more than the limit allowed by law because it may lead to tragic consequences."

After the inquest, Mrs Dyer, from Bridgwater, Somerset, said she did not want to discuss the case because of the legal proceedings against Mr Bridges in France.

But she added: "I have always stuck by Keith and I will continue to stick by him."

Mr Bridges, formerly of Bridgwater, Somerset, is due to appear at court in Bergerac Cedex, France, on Nov 24 to face charges of involuntary manslaughter, drink driving and speeding.